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Let’s wrap up this Pets as Gifts stuff
December 18, 2024, Dr. Emily Weiss
‘Tis the season for looking back to existing research on pets given as gifts. Dr. Weiss shares evidence to bust the myth that it’s a bad idea for good.
My husband approached the backyard fence while I was sitting in the yard reading. “I have a surprise for you,” he said with an excited glint in his eye. I looked up… In his arms was a chubby blond butter bean of a Lab puppy. He opened the gate, put her down and I went quickly from a moment of panic—thinking to myself, “A puppy…What, are you NUTS?”—to overwhelming love, as I looked from my smiling and giggling husband down to the most adorable puppy. Done. Butter Bean, my lovely, wonderful Butter Bean.
Bean came into my life as a gift—a completely unexpected surprise. She was kind, with a sense of humor and a great ability to read us crazy humans. She was my running partner, my keep-me-company-while-I-work partner. I can still remember what it felt like when she leaned the top of her head on me for a big cuddle…
My favorite gift ever… Even though it has been probably 20 years, we still miss her dearly.
I share this because, as you know, ‘tis the season… The season for stories perpetuating the myth that giving a pet as a gift will result in horrible outcomes for the pet and the person.
I have been writing, researching and talking about this myth for years (well over a decade – yikes) and there are now many shelters across the country that embrace the idea of adopting pets as gifts. Many will even deliver the pet right to the gift receiver’s house on Christmas day! In fact, here’s an example. Still, many shelters and rescues adhere to the myth and not only discourage it in their facilities, but perpetuate it in the media.
Back in 2013 my team at the ASPCA and I decided to dig deeper into pets given as gifts. For years there had been peer-reviewed research suggesting pets given as gifts were no more likely to be relinquished—and, potentially less likely! Given a goal of increasing adoptions and helping assure pets had good homes, it sure seemed like pets as gifts were an incredible lost opportunity.
In 1996 Dr. Gary Patronek et al examined risk factors for dog relinquishment at one shelter, and concluded that dogs received as gifts were at significantly decreased risk of being relinquished, compared to dogs who were purchased or adopted. Dr. Jan Scarlett et al found that an “unwanted gift” was rarely a reason for relinquishment of dogs and cats at the shelters surveyed.
Studies published by John New et al focused on the characteristics of shelter-relinquished animals and animals still in their homes. These studies found that dogs and cats who came from an animal shelter, friend or pet shop, or who had been a stray, were at increased risk of relinquishment compared with dogs and cats who entered households as gifts. Yes, you read correctly: dogs and cats received as gifts were not at an increased risk of relinquishment.
We then conducted a study to build on the existing research. We surveyed those who had obtained a dog or cat as a gift in the past 10 years. We focused on three simple areas of interest: 1. If they were involved in the selection of the pet or was the pet a surprise; 2. Attachment to the pet; and 3. Duration of ownership.
We found no significant relationship between receiving a dog or cat as a gift, whether they received the pet as a surprise or not, and the love or attachment the pet parents had for their pets. Nor did we find any significant difference in whether the dog or cat was still in the home. Being involved in the decision did not impact love or attachment—and in fact, a higher percentage of those who were surprised reported that how the pet was obtained increased their love or attachment!
When you think about what builds a bond, the idea that someone who loves and cares for you, whom you have a strong attachment to, gives you such a thoughtful gift likely has something to do with developing that strong, early bond with the new pet. Many shelters have embraced pets as gifts, but many still perpetuate the myth that it is a bad idea.
Now, let me make clear I am not suggesting that one bring a pet to the office holiday party as a gift for a distant colleague, but I am suggesting that we help squash the myth and help promote the idea that giving the gift of a dog or cat to someone you love who loves and has expressed desire for pet may be the very best gift of all. Not only is the person over the moon, so is the pet who was able to be adopted…and so is that next pet who has an available space at your shelter and an opportunity to go home, too…
Whether you have embraced pets as gifts or the idea gives you the chills, we would love to hear your thoughts.
More from Dr. Weiss
Shelterer or Rehomer?
Let’s Get Rid of “Them”
Is it time for a new goal?
“It’s Just Not Supposed to Happen This Way”
About Dr. Emily Weiss
As an Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Weiss has worked with species as varied as lions, orangutans, elephants and Komodo dragons, as well dogs, cats and horses. She is a nationally recognized speaker, and has published extensively on topics related to applied animal behavior and human-animal interactions. She served as the ASPCA's VP. of Research & Development, overseeing groundbreaking research related to the animal sheltering field and developing assessment tools for shelter animals. Before that she created training programs to improve husbandry and decrease stress for zoo animals.
More recently Dr. Weiss led ASPCA's Equine Welfare efforts, with a focus on increasing the rehoming of horses, the development of effective safety net programming and effective law enforcement response to cruelty and neglect.
In all of her work, two central questions have driven her approach: “Why?” and “How do you know?” These questions guide a consistent creative and scientific approach to the work of improving welfare.
Emily recently sunsetted her successful career at the ASPCA and will be tackling a few select projects where her knowledge, skills and talent can make a significant impact for animals.
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Gifts WITHIN families are not the issue – those are wonderful and we have no issue with those. It is people wanting to give a pet to a friend, or acquaintance they perceive ‘wants’ another pet or is having a hard time getting another pet (for whatever reason). Have many examples of these kinds of gifting gone wrong (vice the gifted ones surrendered to our Shelter) so will stick with gifted pets only for family members – children, parents, spouses.
Thank you for your thoughts Rea. I am glad to hear that there is some gifting allowed at your facility.
I would push a bit on the friend piece. There are friends that know and care more than family – and it may open doors for more pets to go home.
There should also be consideration that the acquisition of the pet is likely to happen whether they get the pet from you or another source. As shelters allow returns, and can help guide pet owners, I would prefer we give at least some of those friends a shot – knowing that we can add another person into our humane fold even if the pup needs to come back to the shelter.
The gift of a pet is a nuanced issue with a variety of variables that should be considered. It’s more important to know the relationship between the gift giver and receiver. It is also important to recognize that the gift of a dog or cat can come with 15-20 years of responsibility. Holding on to anecdotal stories rather than looking at the individual nature of adoption serves little to improve animal welfare. Statistically, we don’t see any difference in surrenders in January compared to other months.
Great article! Thank you for providing research that will lead to more shelter animals being adopted!
Back in 1970 there was a kitten in a cardboard carrier with bow under the tree on Christmas morning–just for me! I was devoted to that kitten, and crushed when we lost him to distemper a few days after Christmas, and to the next one who my parents adopted that day at another shelter who we also lost to distemper early in the new year. I remained devoted to the idea of a kitten, or a cat, and in March we went to a shelter and adopted Bootsie who was with me 15 years and led me to a lifetime of feline learning and love–and rescue. Shelter care was different then, and thank goodness we’ve changed dramatically each decade since then, including adoption processes. But an animal as a gift is a fine idea–in rescue I hear so many stories and many whole families adore the cat or dog brought in at a birthday or no holiday at all, and the recipient’s life was changed by the gift. The bond and memories are deeply connected and hardly likely to result in a surrender outside of hardship. The only time I’ve seen giving a pet as a gift backfire has been pets given as gifts after the recipient has lost a pet, not always, but enough to find caution for the pain it caused in those circumstances.
But busy, loud, messy Christmas/December holidays might be the exception for all the extra risks to a new pet and possibly a new and inexperienced pet family, and waiting until all the big events are over might be a better idea.
It’s just not right to presume what people may do and judge them by your presumption. That’s what communication is for.
Fantastic read! The updates and trends shared here are truly valuable for staying ahead in the industry.